Migration: An Avoidable Tragedy For Spain And The EU

Spain may not be the most common point of entry for most migrants and refugees to Europe – last year it received only two percent of arrivals – but it does seem to be facing increasing challenges in this area.

In June, Málaga had to open up a local sports hall for a few days in order to house a sudden influx of Sub-Saharans, with local charities such as the Red Cross and Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR) unequipped to do so.

Despite the tireless work of these organisations and the coastguard, on July 4th, 49 people were drowned after setting off in a boat from the Moroccan coast in the hope of reaching Spain. There were only three survivors.

Juan Antonio Menéndez, head of the Spanish Catholic Church’s migratory commission, declared that the tragedy showed “once again the need to work to reach a minimum accord between countries that guarantees safe immigration, without risk for human lives.”

If that is not painfully obvious, then a glance at the statistics makes it even clearer: more than 5,000 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe last year and 40,000 are thought to have drowned this century.

About the Author

Guy Hedgecoe is a freelance journalist who covers Spain for The Irish Times, the BBC and Politico. His blog looks at Spanish news issues through the eyes of a British citizen who has lived in Madrid since 2003. He was formerly editor of the English edition of El País newspaper. Follow him on Twitter: @hedgecoe